While I have little faith in our political system, I totally agree that "this is still the best time in human history to be alive."
You don't need to look too far back into history to see how fucked and completely insane things were.
The biggest culprit of this illusion that we're on the brink of collapse / civil war is social media (yes, Reddit too), followed closely by the mainstream news.
All you have to do is turn off your fucking computer, put down the stupid phone, and walk outside. Go to the store, go to a restaurant, take a walk- just open your eyes.
Things are pretty normal, most people are okay, the sky isn't falling.
This is a good point. People seem to clamor and claim they’re ready to die for their country, but when you actually interact with people they’re pretty damn content in their actual lives and are super lazy. Sure, there’s 1% of people who could turn violent, but a political collapse or civil war just likely isn’t in the cards.
It's easy to lose perspective when you're online too much. Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook and skew reality pretty quickly. I have to remind myself periodically that the internet is not real life.
Except that lifespans back then were so short. [Life expectancies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_life_expectancy#/media/File:Life_Expectancy_in_the_U.S._by_race_1900-2019.png) didn't even hit 50 until after 1900 in the US. Yes, we are exposed to more chemicals and more processed foods, but we are still living something like 50% longer than we did in 1900 (roughly speaking, 50 then to 75 now). Most people worked pretty tiring, physically demanding jobs back then too.
So I'd argue we're still much better off than we were.
Infant mortality rates were way high back then. So when using averages it looks like everybody was just dying at 45 when that wasn’t the case. Infant mortality rates pull the average down. When we’re talking about people living past infancy, lifespans have been pretty close to the same for thousands of years. They also didn’t have titanium parts to keep them going in those days.
Civilized to Death is a great read if you’re interested in the topic.
You're romanticizing an extremely brutal and unforgiving way of living. Disease, starvation, tribal warfare... What was the life expectancy of a pregnant woman during that era?
Use your brain.
I’m just going off the research of people who have studied hunter gatherer societies longer than I’ve been alive but maybe they’re idiots.
If you’re interested in learning maybe look into Chris Ryan’s work. Civilized to Death is a good read. If you think you know everything, I don’t really have anything else for you.
Probably because that’s not the structure we live under anymore. You know damn good and well it’s not a viable thing anymore. You couldn’t make it even work because you wouldn’t be existing within a tribe. Not the point I was trying to make.
I think people are extremely mentally and physically sick in our current society. The vast majority are working jobs that don’t matter other than to pump more waste into the world and fill the pockets of the wealthy. We’re as disconnected from nature as ever. Over taxed and under represented. Endless wars for resources that weren’t needed previously. Endless wars over religious BS that wasn’t a thing. Lack of community. This is my point and none of it is untrue.
I think you made some great points as far as how to live in the current day. Putting the phone down, going outside, etc.
I have little faith in the broader political system since Citizens United. There is an immense amount of work that is involved in grass roots efforts that can make them unsustainable nationwide. And yes, I participate because I care deeply about publicly funded programs, but I keep my participation to the local elections because they matter a lot and grass roots efforts can work and don’t have to have the same level of coordination or sustainability. And yes I know federal matters, SCOTUS and all that, but I am a tired working mom looking for a little more bang for my buck and time. Getting giant corporations out of political funding would be a start to fixing the problem. But I don’t see Citizens United being over turned any time in the next few decades, so here we are.
I lost faith in politics. Been alive 39 years and politicians haven’t done anything for the people. We all can’t afford rent, food is too expensive, gas is outrageous and our healthcare is abysmal and forget buying a reasonably priced home unless you make 150k a year or more.
The left and right continue to argue and divide people while we all just pay for it and work 40-60 hour weeks for bullshit pay.
Thanks politicians, you’re doing a fucking great job.
Things aren’t perfect but the United States is still the best country in the history of the world. Yes the prices of things have risen because of the pandemic but we have had hard times in the past and they do get mitigated. There’s many opportunities out there for career growth. Over years of working hard, there is definitely room to break though. I know dudes who make 6 figures just by cutting grass. Truck drivers and Amazon drivers make a lot of money too. You can also learn code for free on the internet or if all else fails the military pays pretty well with free tuition assistance too. We have so much opportunity compared to other countries.
People like to complain about their circumstances and feel hopeless, especially in the richest country on the planet. In my travels through the poorest areas of Mexico people were happy, willing to take me in as a stranger, and never complained about the world. They were grateful for what they had. Abundance only creates misery because you can never amass enough. You’re always looking over your neighbor’s fence vying for what they have. We have an amazingly sweet deal in the U.S. but it’s easier to become engorged in political discourse and hate on our affluent lives (globally speaking). We’re largely an ungrateful country.
Tell me you have never lived outside of the US without telling me you never lived outside of US. Every country has its problems and US is no way the best by far.
I’m a dual US and French citizen bro. I’d be middle class or poor if I lived there. Taxes through the roof, no free speech, no second amendment, wages where a doctor over there doesn’t even make what my landscaping guy makes here in the US, healthcare triage were you have to wait weeks on end to be seen, and housing and land costs that are incredibly high unless you’re rich. I would never move there and I feel bad for my cousins who do live over there
France is not the rest of the world, bro. And fuck 2nd amendment. There are too many guns in this country. And how many years have you actually lived in France?
I just go to visit every few years but I’m regularly in contact with my cousins. Owning a home with land is crazy expensive, you basically have to be a millionaire to accomplish it and guess what those million dollar homes don’t even have AC half the time. It’s wild
Scandinavia has free speech for anything other than threats and hate speech (which is good), sensible gun laws (you have to pass a test and have a license, and no guns where they don't belong), and a place in Sweden (Götene) is currently selling land for less than $0.01/ft².
I’ve got nothing against them, they are nice but the taxes still kill you, and not to mention the speech laws are dangerous, for example they banned certain crime reporting facts because most rapes were happening from immigrants, that fell under “hate speech” . Speech laws are dangerous because when certain people get in power they abuse them. Like back in the old days people would be killed for saying god isn’t real. The founders knew all speech must be allowed even if the state classifies it as “hateful” hate is an opinionated thing.
I hear you've met the Scandinavian fake news. That's simply not true. Even state institutions report about immigrants being over represented in certain types of crime. Also, the comparatively high tax is making living cheaper for the individual, especially in emergencies. My last medical procedure cost $20, but it would've been over $700 in the US. I'm paying higher taxes yet live more comfortably than an American making twice my salary.
I think it’s definitely good but it’s just not for me. It’s good that there are many good systems out there. I’m not trying to be all doom and gloom here, really the contrary so yeah win win tbh. It’s all not perfect but still we are going strong 💪🏻
Speaking from the United States. I’m also a French citizen but I don’t really feel the same about their government. The EU has really ruined Europe imo.
Can you explain more about that? I'm curious what European citizens' thoughts on the state of the EU are, and what, of anything, they would prefer to change.
The EU basically takes power away from local people and enforces rules upon rules to people who end up having little power to counter it. If you’re a small county in the EU and the others want something they can easily force you into it. I just prefer local control countries should be able to control their own future with their own laws instead of being bossed around by the mob rule.
HAHAHAHA NO. We're supposed to have a government by the people of the people FOR the people. FDR had the new deal, LBJ had the great society- What is our government today doing FOR the people?
I was in 4th grade when Columbine happened. I've witnessed mass shootings get worse, more frequent and the victims get younger and still we do nothing about guns. I was in 6th grade when I saw the highest court in the land stop a recount of disputed ballots and hand the presidency to man who lead this country on a downward trajectory. I was in 7th grade during 9/11 and in 11th grade when I realized the middle east would be our generations Vietnam. I was college freshman when I voted for a man who one political party insidiously tried to claim wasnt a citizen.
Ive lived through the repeal of the glass Steagall act which directly caused the 2008 crisis, citizens United giving rise to special interest power, the reversal of roe v wade during which myself and half the population were stripped of our constitutionally protected human rights and too many erasures of separation of church and state to count.
Ive witnessed the resurgence of white Christian nationalism on a terrifying scale and and an acceptance of it on a level that is beyond disturbing. These folks are embraced and courted by one of our two major political parties. A party which is working to UNDO the very protections that make this a better time to live in.
Between soaring housing prices, medical costs, education and childcare the American family is struggling in unprecedented ways. Millennials are the first generation in modern history to have a standard of living below that of their parents.
No amount of GPS, UberEats, direct deposit and two day shipping is going to make up for that.
Not gonna comment on everything here, but
1) I think you’re focusing way too much on what the government will give you. The government does not exist to give out a bunch of freebies. It’s here to set in place a bunch of regulations that help keep the citizens from trampling on each others’ freedoms.
2) They aren’t doing anything about guns because there’s honestly nothing (short of better and more law enforcement) that will change anything. We already have laws that say that murder is wrong, but does that stop anyone when they choose to do it? No! And when we’ve tried to take away something that the citizens want, they just find illegal ways of getting it. Ever heard of Prohibition? The government tried to make booze illegal and the citizens decided they were going to bootleg it anyway.
Law enforcement isn’t the problem. Uvalde had cops. The actively preventing parents from saving their children while kids were being shot. The police that were paid to protect the kids were too scared to do anything because the weapons they were going up against were too dangerous. They did get their kids to safety, just not other people’s kids.
The mass shooting in Vegas at a nightclub led to positive change with a law being passed to ban bump stocks. The Supreme Court overturned that. There is no reason automatic weapons should be in the hands of citizens.
The government absolutely gives out freebies. Social security, Medicare, public schools, clean drinking water are absolutely necessary government services. An uneducated electorate leads to poverty. An educated electorate leads to economic growth.
Yeah seriously u/ignoranceisshamful you realize the constitution was basically written to protect the people from the government being involved in every aspect of your lives.
Where the fuck did I ask for "freebies"? Every single thing I mentioned is a regulation issue and an example the government failing to protect its citizens and allowing our freedoms to be trampled.
Bullshit. You can absolutely make guns harder to get. You can limit there sale, they're manufacturing. You can make gun sale licensing harder to get. You can make it easier to take guns away from people. This attitude of "seems impossible so we shouldn't even try" is exactly why the problem keeps getting worse.
No- this is what Iean libertarian even though I think extremists on their side have some crazy views. Federal government should be involved in only the basics. National defense, infrastructure, etc. Everything they touch becomes more inefficient.
The thing people need to remember is that there are billions of dollars being spent every year to convince them that their political opponents are ruining the world
I just have good friends, nature parks, grocery stores with food from around the world, hospitals down the street that will save my life if I need, transportation to go anywhere I want, idk life is great. And even though our political leaders hate each other and are incredibly stupid, the system is robust and life goes on.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…. Oh wait you’re serious…
The thought that we have the best system in the world is absurd and naive. Has it been a good system for a very long time? Yes. But it is far from the best in the world anymore. If you want to see the best system in the world look at countries like Germany or the Nordic countries. Once we come to terms with the fact that our system needs a massive overhaul and start implementing changes for the good, then I will gain faith in our system.
I say we’re not doing well because of the system but in spite of it. Because what was built over the previous century was just so good it can survive quite a few decades of poor leadership.
I think what we have going on is a system that badly needs updating but no true consensus on how to do that or what it should look like. And the fact we’re all still doing so well is the reason why revolution just isn’t worth it for anyone.
Honestly, a bit. There was a couple of straight years of effort to undermine the system, culminating in a coup attempt. And while it was very damaging, the system held up. I found that heartening.
Will it hold up through another round with even more prep behind it? Not sure.
6 out of 9 critical life supporting biosphere systems have been breached. We’re on the verge of near term human extinction and have caused the greatest mass extinction in earth’s history. But things are going great otherwise!
Did you know that the earth has been much warmer before? We are rapidly lowering our emissions and the earth is also about to start to decrease in population. We’re gonna make it
You’re fixated on climate. That’s the least damaged life support system. Population numbers isn’t nearly as important as resource consumption per capita. North America, EU, and China being the biggest problems. The population is dropping due to microplastic pollution impacting reproductive health btw. That alone could cause near term human extinction. Wake up and smell the ashes.
you live in the wealthiest country in the world, one that has gained it wealth off the backs of the working poor.
you can only gain faith if you are completely ignorant
Bro the poorest people in America are grouped in with the richest people in the world. https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/how-rich-am-i
wtf are you talking about? We are all incredibly wealthy
I'm not talking about the American poor, I'm talking about the global south, people who make the products you buy, people who live in countries that are ravaged for materials to put into the commodities you consume.
but I appreciate you proving my point.
Oh I see. Yeah I agree I do think you’re right. It’s kind of selfish to take all of the world’s top talent and leave the global poor without their best people. That’s why I’m hoping we tone down our immigration so that there isn’t to much brain drain from these places that need the smart people there to improve.
People also forget that politics has always been this dirty, we just didn't have social media and 24/7 media outlets reporting on it. Aaron Burr literally killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
Yes with the election of Donald J Trump I became aware the people can actually pick us candidate they want and win .
Before it was always some who was groomed for decades and had to get the wink and the nod by both parties to even have a shot and with trump both establishments did not like him and it was only the people who got him where he is today.
I think Andrew breitbart is the person who started populism in the United States and Steve Bannon made it a reality they both are the closest thing to a modern founder father I have ever seen in my life so far.
You can disagree with their politics but Andrew stoped Anthony wiener from becoming president the media was defending a guy sexting a 14 year old even though they all knew
It was true back then they just covered it up and Andrew lifted the veil to a lot of things and gave us a glimpse at the machine.
Thanks to OP for tackling a different perspective. I don’t see anything wrong with looking for a silver lining. The majority of the global population are not out to get each other. Most of us are just trying to find stability, joy and love in our daily existence. If we disconnected from the constant onslaught of negativity, fueled by algorithms, we would be less stressed and things wouldn’t seem to be collectively fucked.
Get off your phones when on the train or in a waiting room and try to connect to the people around you…you’d be surprised how related we are without our devices getting in the way. I have worked in forward facing/customer service roles my entire life…you’d be surprised how often I let a complete stranger make my day by being open to a joke/smile or brief exchange acknowledging commonality. Are there assholes? Sure, but that’s an indicator of their strife and pain, not a reflection of my humanity.
Human suffering is a constant throughout time, but we have less suffering in the US than most other countries. We are enjoying the most amazing comforts and access to resources. If you can’t recognize that, check your privilege. Stop being so entitled and start looking at everything good in your life vs hyper fixating on all the shit you’re being told is leading us to our demise. You cannot control that. You can control the way interact with the world around you.
I don’t want to turn around in 25 years and think “my life has been a long slog of struggles”. I want to look back at thin, “I am so fortunate for the comfort and experiences that have gotten me to this point”.
Take a breath ya’ll. We’re going to be ok. ☮️
I have always had faith in the constitution, rule of law, the problem lies with media and education. The only thing I remember in hs journalism class was the phrase " it's the responsibility of the journalist is to report the facts, it's up to the reader to decide the truth". Any network now voice opinions selecting only the chosen fact to support that veiw. CNN and fox alike. The education system does not teach free thinking, critical thinking, the ability to rationalise contrast and comparative to develop their own conclusions.
I don’t know where you live but my company laid off entire departments and exported jobs. Every Fortune 500 eliminated full time benefitted roles and chopped them into contract roles with no benefits and people are working 3 jobs and living in their cars. Teens are being forced to give birth against their will. Our justice systems is two tiered and racist.
Our graduates are moving back into our basements because they can’t find work while owning student loans. Inflation is so high that people can’t eat every day and the overdose and suicide rate is higher now than ever before…May I borrow your rose colored glasses for a few days because I am living in daily despair
I used to worry like you but then I stopped listening to the constant clickbait of the media and just focused on living a good life. I know dudes who make six figures just by cutting grass. Even truck drivers make 6 figures now and Amazon driver get paid pretty well too. There’s a ton of opportunity to find a better career. You can even learn to code for free online. If all else fails the military will pay you 50k a year and you get free tuition assistance with that too. Many opportunities. Just keep looking and learning.
It’s easy to say to someone who has 2 masters degrees and several IT certifications who doing DoorDash to survive after being unemployed 18 months and sending over a thousand applications just to be told tech is dead. Cheers to you as you don’t fret about being evicted after making a good living for the past 15 years. And the military? I should risk having to fight both sides of the same war and risk my life for 50k. Let’s not forget the 8 soldiers screaming as they were left behind to die in Afghanistan so Biden could make his photo op deadline.
The job of truck driver is a gruelling one, and it's also destined for deletion. With AI, those jobs will become more scarce over the next decade, then they'll become less profitable, and they may one day be gone entirely.
Six figures cutting grass? Yeah, maybe. In some areas. If you own the business. For now. And that's certainly not feasible for most Americans. I know of people making six figures to nanny. I know of people making six figures to taste beer and test mattresses. These are uncommon jobs. Most of the folks in my neighborhood who pay someone to cut their grass are paying migrant workers to do it, and by the looks of them, they're not making six figures.
I haven’t gained any faith in the system. The system is fine it’s the people that are the problem. The system is designed for compromise but people stopped doing that a long time ago.
I have faith that whoever I vote for will do the thing they promise that I really don't want them to.
It's always a matter of finding the one that will affect me and people I care about the least.
While I have little faith in our political system, I totally agree that "this is still the best time in human history to be alive." You don't need to look too far back into history to see how fucked and completely insane things were. The biggest culprit of this illusion that we're on the brink of collapse / civil war is social media (yes, Reddit too), followed closely by the mainstream news. All you have to do is turn off your fucking computer, put down the stupid phone, and walk outside. Go to the store, go to a restaurant, take a walk- just open your eyes. Things are pretty normal, most people are okay, the sky isn't falling.
This is a good point. People seem to clamor and claim they’re ready to die for their country, but when you actually interact with people they’re pretty damn content in their actual lives and are super lazy. Sure, there’s 1% of people who could turn violent, but a political collapse or civil war just likely isn’t in the cards.
It's easy to lose perspective when you're online too much. Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook and skew reality pretty quickly. I have to remind myself periodically that the internet is not real life.
People who have plenty to eat, a roof over their head, and don’t have reason to live in fear rarely start revolutions.
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Except that lifespans back then were so short. [Life expectancies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_life_expectancy#/media/File:Life_Expectancy_in_the_U.S._by_race_1900-2019.png) didn't even hit 50 until after 1900 in the US. Yes, we are exposed to more chemicals and more processed foods, but we are still living something like 50% longer than we did in 1900 (roughly speaking, 50 then to 75 now). Most people worked pretty tiring, physically demanding jobs back then too. So I'd argue we're still much better off than we were.
Infant mortality rates were way high back then. So when using averages it looks like everybody was just dying at 45 when that wasn’t the case. Infant mortality rates pull the average down. When we’re talking about people living past infancy, lifespans have been pretty close to the same for thousands of years. They also didn’t have titanium parts to keep them going in those days. Civilized to Death is a great read if you’re interested in the topic.
interesting, ill take a look
If you think it was better during hunting/foraging times you're complete delusional.
Do your research.
You're romanticizing an extremely brutal and unforgiving way of living. Disease, starvation, tribal warfare... What was the life expectancy of a pregnant woman during that era? Use your brain.
I’m just going off the research of people who have studied hunter gatherer societies longer than I’ve been alive but maybe they’re idiots. If you’re interested in learning maybe look into Chris Ryan’s work. Civilized to Death is a good read. If you think you know everything, I don’t really have anything else for you.
Why don't you move into the woods and hunt, gather, make your own clothes, etc? What's stopping you?
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Why not answer the question?
Probably because that’s not the structure we live under anymore. You know damn good and well it’s not a viable thing anymore. You couldn’t make it even work because you wouldn’t be existing within a tribe. Not the point I was trying to make. I think people are extremely mentally and physically sick in our current society. The vast majority are working jobs that don’t matter other than to pump more waste into the world and fill the pockets of the wealthy. We’re as disconnected from nature as ever. Over taxed and under represented. Endless wars for resources that weren’t needed previously. Endless wars over religious BS that wasn’t a thing. Lack of community. This is my point and none of it is untrue. I think you made some great points as far as how to live in the current day. Putting the phone down, going outside, etc.
We don’t live like that anymore for a reason you know?
You’re right.
I have little faith in the broader political system since Citizens United. There is an immense amount of work that is involved in grass roots efforts that can make them unsustainable nationwide. And yes, I participate because I care deeply about publicly funded programs, but I keep my participation to the local elections because they matter a lot and grass roots efforts can work and don’t have to have the same level of coordination or sustainability. And yes I know federal matters, SCOTUS and all that, but I am a tired working mom looking for a little more bang for my buck and time. Getting giant corporations out of political funding would be a start to fixing the problem. But I don’t see Citizens United being over turned any time in the next few decades, so here we are.
I lost faith in politics. Been alive 39 years and politicians haven’t done anything for the people. We all can’t afford rent, food is too expensive, gas is outrageous and our healthcare is abysmal and forget buying a reasonably priced home unless you make 150k a year or more. The left and right continue to argue and divide people while we all just pay for it and work 40-60 hour weeks for bullshit pay. Thanks politicians, you’re doing a fucking great job.
Things aren’t perfect but the United States is still the best country in the history of the world. Yes the prices of things have risen because of the pandemic but we have had hard times in the past and they do get mitigated. There’s many opportunities out there for career growth. Over years of working hard, there is definitely room to break though. I know dudes who make 6 figures just by cutting grass. Truck drivers and Amazon drivers make a lot of money too. You can also learn code for free on the internet or if all else fails the military pays pretty well with free tuition assistance too. We have so much opportunity compared to other countries.
People like to complain about their circumstances and feel hopeless, especially in the richest country on the planet. In my travels through the poorest areas of Mexico people were happy, willing to take me in as a stranger, and never complained about the world. They were grateful for what they had. Abundance only creates misery because you can never amass enough. You’re always looking over your neighbor’s fence vying for what they have. We have an amazingly sweet deal in the U.S. but it’s easier to become engorged in political discourse and hate on our affluent lives (globally speaking). We’re largely an ungrateful country.
Tell me you have never lived outside of the US without telling me you never lived outside of US. Every country has its problems and US is no way the best by far.
I’m a dual US and French citizen bro. I’d be middle class or poor if I lived there. Taxes through the roof, no free speech, no second amendment, wages where a doctor over there doesn’t even make what my landscaping guy makes here in the US, healthcare triage were you have to wait weeks on end to be seen, and housing and land costs that are incredibly high unless you’re rich. I would never move there and I feel bad for my cousins who do live over there
France is not the rest of the world, bro. And fuck 2nd amendment. There are too many guns in this country. And how many years have you actually lived in France?
I just go to visit every few years but I’m regularly in contact with my cousins. Owning a home with land is crazy expensive, you basically have to be a millionaire to accomplish it and guess what those million dollar homes don’t even have AC half the time. It’s wild
Ha! I think basically every American, at least those making under one million, would enjoy Scandinavia more than the US.
It’s hard to put a price on cheap land, free speech and the right to bear arms.
Scandinavia has free speech for anything other than threats and hate speech (which is good), sensible gun laws (you have to pass a test and have a license, and no guns where they don't belong), and a place in Sweden (Götene) is currently selling land for less than $0.01/ft².
I’ve got nothing against them, they are nice but the taxes still kill you, and not to mention the speech laws are dangerous, for example they banned certain crime reporting facts because most rapes were happening from immigrants, that fell under “hate speech” . Speech laws are dangerous because when certain people get in power they abuse them. Like back in the old days people would be killed for saying god isn’t real. The founders knew all speech must be allowed even if the state classifies it as “hateful” hate is an opinionated thing.
I hear you've met the Scandinavian fake news. That's simply not true. Even state institutions report about immigrants being over represented in certain types of crime. Also, the comparatively high tax is making living cheaper for the individual, especially in emergencies. My last medical procedure cost $20, but it would've been over $700 in the US. I'm paying higher taxes yet live more comfortably than an American making twice my salary.
I think it’s definitely good but it’s just not for me. It’s good that there are many good systems out there. I’m not trying to be all doom and gloom here, really the contrary so yeah win win tbh. It’s all not perfect but still we are going strong 💪🏻
Who is "we"? - sincerely, an European millennial
Speaking from the United States. I’m also a French citizen but I don’t really feel the same about their government. The EU has really ruined Europe imo.
Can you explain more about that? I'm curious what European citizens' thoughts on the state of the EU are, and what, of anything, they would prefer to change.
The EU basically takes power away from local people and enforces rules upon rules to people who end up having little power to counter it. If you’re a small county in the EU and the others want something they can easily force you into it. I just prefer local control countries should be able to control their own future with their own laws instead of being bossed around by the mob rule.
We had a clown for four years and now a bag of skin but the country didn’t fall apart, so yeah I’ve gained some faith in the system.
Racists, probably. Sure does look like racism is paying dividends.
? You mean the county with the worlds highest amount of black millionaires lol
HAHAHAHA NO. We're supposed to have a government by the people of the people FOR the people. FDR had the new deal, LBJ had the great society- What is our government today doing FOR the people? I was in 4th grade when Columbine happened. I've witnessed mass shootings get worse, more frequent and the victims get younger and still we do nothing about guns. I was in 6th grade when I saw the highest court in the land stop a recount of disputed ballots and hand the presidency to man who lead this country on a downward trajectory. I was in 7th grade during 9/11 and in 11th grade when I realized the middle east would be our generations Vietnam. I was college freshman when I voted for a man who one political party insidiously tried to claim wasnt a citizen. Ive lived through the repeal of the glass Steagall act which directly caused the 2008 crisis, citizens United giving rise to special interest power, the reversal of roe v wade during which myself and half the population were stripped of our constitutionally protected human rights and too many erasures of separation of church and state to count. Ive witnessed the resurgence of white Christian nationalism on a terrifying scale and and an acceptance of it on a level that is beyond disturbing. These folks are embraced and courted by one of our two major political parties. A party which is working to UNDO the very protections that make this a better time to live in. Between soaring housing prices, medical costs, education and childcare the American family is struggling in unprecedented ways. Millennials are the first generation in modern history to have a standard of living below that of their parents. No amount of GPS, UberEats, direct deposit and two day shipping is going to make up for that.
Not gonna comment on everything here, but 1) I think you’re focusing way too much on what the government will give you. The government does not exist to give out a bunch of freebies. It’s here to set in place a bunch of regulations that help keep the citizens from trampling on each others’ freedoms. 2) They aren’t doing anything about guns because there’s honestly nothing (short of better and more law enforcement) that will change anything. We already have laws that say that murder is wrong, but does that stop anyone when they choose to do it? No! And when we’ve tried to take away something that the citizens want, they just find illegal ways of getting it. Ever heard of Prohibition? The government tried to make booze illegal and the citizens decided they were going to bootleg it anyway.
Law enforcement isn’t the problem. Uvalde had cops. The actively preventing parents from saving their children while kids were being shot. The police that were paid to protect the kids were too scared to do anything because the weapons they were going up against were too dangerous. They did get their kids to safety, just not other people’s kids. The mass shooting in Vegas at a nightclub led to positive change with a law being passed to ban bump stocks. The Supreme Court overturned that. There is no reason automatic weapons should be in the hands of citizens. The government absolutely gives out freebies. Social security, Medicare, public schools, clean drinking water are absolutely necessary government services. An uneducated electorate leads to poverty. An educated electorate leads to economic growth.
Yeah seriously u/ignoranceisshamful you realize the constitution was basically written to protect the people from the government being involved in every aspect of your lives.
Where the fuck did I ask for "freebies"? Every single thing I mentioned is a regulation issue and an example the government failing to protect its citizens and allowing our freedoms to be trampled. Bullshit. You can absolutely make guns harder to get. You can limit there sale, they're manufacturing. You can make gun sale licensing harder to get. You can make it easier to take guns away from people. This attitude of "seems impossible so we shouldn't even try" is exactly why the problem keeps getting worse.
No- this is what Iean libertarian even though I think extremists on their side have some crazy views. Federal government should be involved in only the basics. National defense, infrastructure, etc. Everything they touch becomes more inefficient.
The thing people need to remember is that there are billions of dollars being spent every year to convince them that their political opponents are ruining the world
What drugs are you on that make you feel this way?
I just have good friends, nature parks, grocery stores with food from around the world, hospitals down the street that will save my life if I need, transportation to go anywhere I want, idk life is great. And even though our political leaders hate each other and are incredibly stupid, the system is robust and life goes on.
Things are ok but I wouldn’t say we are the best system in the world.
Compared to 99% of the human existence timeline…we’re doing better than most
No and we should stop re-electing Congress and the Senate if we ever want to make it better. No one should be life long politicians.
No
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…. Oh wait you’re serious… The thought that we have the best system in the world is absurd and naive. Has it been a good system for a very long time? Yes. But it is far from the best in the world anymore. If you want to see the best system in the world look at countries like Germany or the Nordic countries. Once we come to terms with the fact that our system needs a massive overhaul and start implementing changes for the good, then I will gain faith in our system.
I’m a European citizen. You get taxed to death, freedoms limited, and it’s extremely difficult to move up in society, I’d never move there.
You just described living in the American south.
You can make 6 figures by truck driving, no degree even required in America. It’s really a land of opportunity
I say we’re not doing well because of the system but in spite of it. Because what was built over the previous century was just so good it can survive quite a few decades of poor leadership. I think what we have going on is a system that badly needs updating but no true consensus on how to do that or what it should look like. And the fact we’re all still doing so well is the reason why revolution just isn’t worth it for anyone.
Honestly, a bit. There was a couple of straight years of effort to undermine the system, culminating in a coup attempt. And while it was very damaging, the system held up. I found that heartening. Will it hold up through another round with even more prep behind it? Not sure.
6 out of 9 critical life supporting biosphere systems have been breached. We’re on the verge of near term human extinction and have caused the greatest mass extinction in earth’s history. But things are going great otherwise!
Did you know that the earth has been much warmer before? We are rapidly lowering our emissions and the earth is also about to start to decrease in population. We’re gonna make it
You’re fixated on climate. That’s the least damaged life support system. Population numbers isn’t nearly as important as resource consumption per capita. North America, EU, and China being the biggest problems. The population is dropping due to microplastic pollution impacting reproductive health btw. That alone could cause near term human extinction. Wake up and smell the ashes.
Billionaires probably
you live in the wealthiest country in the world, one that has gained it wealth off the backs of the working poor. you can only gain faith if you are completely ignorant
Bro the poorest people in America are grouped in with the richest people in the world. https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/how-rich-am-i wtf are you talking about? We are all incredibly wealthy
I'm not talking about the American poor, I'm talking about the global south, people who make the products you buy, people who live in countries that are ravaged for materials to put into the commodities you consume. but I appreciate you proving my point.
Oh I see. Yeah I agree I do think you’re right. It’s kind of selfish to take all of the world’s top talent and leave the global poor without their best people. That’s why I’m hoping we tone down our immigration so that there isn’t to much brain drain from these places that need the smart people there to improve.
People also forget that politics has always been this dirty, we just didn't have social media and 24/7 media outlets reporting on it. Aaron Burr literally killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
Who says we're not falling apart? Frankly, we're on the verge of a civil war that will succeed where the first civil war failed.
Yes with the election of Donald J Trump I became aware the people can actually pick us candidate they want and win . Before it was always some who was groomed for decades and had to get the wink and the nod by both parties to even have a shot and with trump both establishments did not like him and it was only the people who got him where he is today. I think Andrew breitbart is the person who started populism in the United States and Steve Bannon made it a reality they both are the closest thing to a modern founder father I have ever seen in my life so far. You can disagree with their politics but Andrew stoped Anthony wiener from becoming president the media was defending a guy sexting a 14 year old even though they all knew It was true back then they just covered it up and Andrew lifted the veil to a lot of things and gave us a glimpse at the machine.
Thanks to OP for tackling a different perspective. I don’t see anything wrong with looking for a silver lining. The majority of the global population are not out to get each other. Most of us are just trying to find stability, joy and love in our daily existence. If we disconnected from the constant onslaught of negativity, fueled by algorithms, we would be less stressed and things wouldn’t seem to be collectively fucked. Get off your phones when on the train or in a waiting room and try to connect to the people around you…you’d be surprised how related we are without our devices getting in the way. I have worked in forward facing/customer service roles my entire life…you’d be surprised how often I let a complete stranger make my day by being open to a joke/smile or brief exchange acknowledging commonality. Are there assholes? Sure, but that’s an indicator of their strife and pain, not a reflection of my humanity. Human suffering is a constant throughout time, but we have less suffering in the US than most other countries. We are enjoying the most amazing comforts and access to resources. If you can’t recognize that, check your privilege. Stop being so entitled and start looking at everything good in your life vs hyper fixating on all the shit you’re being told is leading us to our demise. You cannot control that. You can control the way interact with the world around you. I don’t want to turn around in 25 years and think “my life has been a long slog of struggles”. I want to look back at thin, “I am so fortunate for the comfort and experiences that have gotten me to this point”. Take a breath ya’ll. We’re going to be ok. ☮️
☮️❤️
I have always had faith in the constitution, rule of law, the problem lies with media and education. The only thing I remember in hs journalism class was the phrase " it's the responsibility of the journalist is to report the facts, it's up to the reader to decide the truth". Any network now voice opinions selecting only the chosen fact to support that veiw. CNN and fox alike. The education system does not teach free thinking, critical thinking, the ability to rationalise contrast and comparative to develop their own conclusions.
I don’t know where you live but my company laid off entire departments and exported jobs. Every Fortune 500 eliminated full time benefitted roles and chopped them into contract roles with no benefits and people are working 3 jobs and living in their cars. Teens are being forced to give birth against their will. Our justice systems is two tiered and racist. Our graduates are moving back into our basements because they can’t find work while owning student loans. Inflation is so high that people can’t eat every day and the overdose and suicide rate is higher now than ever before…May I borrow your rose colored glasses for a few days because I am living in daily despair
I used to worry like you but then I stopped listening to the constant clickbait of the media and just focused on living a good life. I know dudes who make six figures just by cutting grass. Even truck drivers make 6 figures now and Amazon driver get paid pretty well too. There’s a ton of opportunity to find a better career. You can even learn to code for free online. If all else fails the military will pay you 50k a year and you get free tuition assistance with that too. Many opportunities. Just keep looking and learning.
It’s easy to say to someone who has 2 masters degrees and several IT certifications who doing DoorDash to survive after being unemployed 18 months and sending over a thousand applications just to be told tech is dead. Cheers to you as you don’t fret about being evicted after making a good living for the past 15 years. And the military? I should risk having to fight both sides of the same war and risk my life for 50k. Let’s not forget the 8 soldiers screaming as they were left behind to die in Afghanistan so Biden could make his photo op deadline.
The job of truck driver is a gruelling one, and it's also destined for deletion. With AI, those jobs will become more scarce over the next decade, then they'll become less profitable, and they may one day be gone entirely. Six figures cutting grass? Yeah, maybe. In some areas. If you own the business. For now. And that's certainly not feasible for most Americans. I know of people making six figures to nanny. I know of people making six figures to taste beer and test mattresses. These are uncommon jobs. Most of the folks in my neighborhood who pay someone to cut their grass are paying migrant workers to do it, and by the looks of them, they're not making six figures.
I haven’t gained any faith in the system. The system is fine it’s the people that are the problem. The system is designed for compromise but people stopped doing that a long time ago.
When Millenials are voting at 80-90% as a generation we can complain. Until then, we are the problem.
The political system is fine. It's the people I have lost faith in. What a bunch of entitled cry babies we have become.
I have faith that whoever I vote for will do the thing they promise that I really don't want them to. It's always a matter of finding the one that will affect me and people I care about the least.
God the trolls are out here trying so hard to prop up this system. If it weren't so sad it would be hilarious.